1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a device for securing a manipulated component such as a rotary switch, a toggle switch, a push switch, a rotary variable resistor and a rotary variable capacitor to a panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A heater control panel for regulating the temperature in the driver room of a motor vehicle is provided in front of the driver seat of the motor vehicle. The panel is fitted with a blower switch, by which the motor of a blower for a heater, an air-conditioner or the like is turned on or off or the rotation speed of the motor is changed incrementally. There are various types of such blower switches, such as a rotary type, a toggle type, a slide type and so forth. For example, a rotary-type blower switch 151 is secured to a heater control panel 152 as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21. The blower switch 151 has a male screw 153 projecting from the front of the switch. The shaft 154 of the switch 151 is rotatably supported by the screw 153. The panel 152 has a cylindrical fitting portion 156. A through hole 157, through which the screw 153 is inserted, and an engagement hole 158, in which the protuberance 155 is engaged, are provided in the rear end part of the fitting portion 156. The shaft 154 is inserted through the through hole 157 so that the protuberance 155 is engaged in the engagement hole 158. A nut 159 is then engaged with the screw 153 and tightened. As a result, the switch 151 is secured to the fitting portion 156 of the panel 152 so that the switch cannot come off the panel and cannot rotate relative thereto. After that, a display sheet 160 is attached to the front of the panel 153, and a manipulation knob 161 is fit to the shaft 154. However, since the nut 159 is tightened on the male screw 153 of the blower switch 151, which is inserted through the through hole 157 of the fitting portion 156 of the panel 152, the number of elements is increased by the nut and the number of working steps is augmented by the tightening of the nut. This is a problem.